Tummy time is one of the most important activities we can do with our newborns. It develops baby’s neck and shoulder muscles so they can sit up, crawl and walk. Unfortunately, our baby was not a fan of tummy time early on and it’s taken a lot of tries and motivational toys to change that. One of the most motivating tools we’ve found is the Hoovy inflatable tummy time water mat. This mat intrigues our little one so much that he actually cries at times when we take it away! It’s been such a help in getting substantial exercise time in. We’re so thankful to Hoovy for allowing us to review it and definitely recommend it for sensory and tummy time play. Check out our experience with the mat below…
Mat Set Up
Our mat arrived folded up in a small box. Once unfolded, it was incredibly easy to fill the outer ring with air and the inner section with water. Hoovy recommended adding a teaspoon of white vinegar to the water in order to keep it clear for play. We did this and haven’t noticed any fogging. The amount of water added is up to you. We filled ours with approximately two pints of water and found it to be enough for the animal pieces to float well. After wiping the mat down with soap and water, our baby was ready to explore!
Our Experience
The mat itself is 22 inches by 16 inches, so our baby leans on it part way rather than laying directly on it as the picture shows. I imagine it would be too small for most babies to use as a whole body mat. We find that positioning the baby right on top of the outer ring of air or just in front of the mat is best for viewing the spongy sea creatures inside. It’s amazing how long our little one raises his head to watch them and even tries to grab on and pull forward! Since he’s a bit too young yet to coordinate pushing the mat with his hands, we push the water for him to make waves and move the sea creatures around. As his skills grow, we’re excited to watch him push and grab for the floating fish. Overall, we couldn’t be happier with this sensory mat!
**The mat is recommended for ages 6 months and up. Be sure to monitor your baby at all times during water mat play to ensure their safety.
Where to Purchase
The Hoovy Inflatable Tummy Time Water Mat at major retailers like Target and Amazon, or directly from the Hoovy website. While there, take some time to peruse the entire Hoovy collection of baby and kids’ toys!
Disclosure: The product in this post was gifted to us by Hoovy. As always, our posts are our own opinions.